Ioannis Dimitriou studied Physiotherapy at Charles University in Prague from 1998 to 2001 and at the Department of Physiotherapy of the Technological Educational Institute of Lamia from 2001 to 2002. From 2002 to 2003, he studied at the former Tianjin College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. From 2003 to 2005, he studied Chinese language at the Tianjin Institute of Culture and Foreign Languages and, at the same time, undertook clinical training in Traditional Chinese Medicine in various hospitals and clinics in China.

From 2005 to 2011, he studied Medicine at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. In parallel, from 2006 to 2008, he studied homeopathy at the Hellenic Society of Homeopathic Medical Cooperation. From 2009 to 2012, he attended the postgraduate programme in Acupuncture and Tuina at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Following three years of research activity in Chinese Medicine from 2012 to 2015, as a Chinese government scholarship recipient at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, he was awarded a PhD by the same university in 2015.

In 2017, after two years of study, he received the Diploma in Medical Osteopathy and became a member of the College of Osteopathic Medicine in London. In 2021, he graduated from the postgraduate programme of the Medical School of Athens in Mental Health Promotion and the Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders. Since 2024, he has been working as a resident in General and Family Medicine at the General Hospital of Athens “G. Gennimatas”. Since 2025, he has served as a consultant to the World Health Organization on technology and Traditional Medicine through the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in India.

Mu Ge graduated from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine with a BSc in Acupuncture and holds an MSc in Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is also an active member of the Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine at Huachiew Chalermprakiet University in Thailand. Her academic career includes teaching at recognised institutions, including Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shandong Jiaotong University. In 2019, her work was recognised by Hanban with the title of “Outstanding Volunteer Chinese Teacher”.

Her dedication to education and to the promotion of Chinese Medicine, together with her participation in activities organised by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Confucius Institute, reflects her commitment to promoting language, culture and intercultural connection.

Alberto Cantidio Ferreira is a physiotherapist from Brazil and holds an MSc in Acupuncture from Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He studied personally under Professor Shi Xue-min, whose acupuncture method is considered one of the leading approaches to neurological rehabilitation in China.

During his studies, he trained in various hospitals and cities in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Mianyang and Kunming, gaining deep experience in neurological rehabilitation.

Since 2016, he has taught international seminars on neuroacupuncture and the rehabilitation of neurological conditions with acupuncture, combining clinical experience with research training.

Sarah Budd has a background as a senior midwife and later trained in acupuncture in London and China. In 1988, she established an acupuncture service in the Maternity Unit in Plymouth. She then completed a degree in Complementary Health Therapies at the University of Exeter in 1991, where she received a Churchill Fellowship, and subsequently returned to China to study acupuncture anaesthesia. She was awarded what was then the first and only full-time post in the United Kingdom as a midwife-acupuncturist. More than 8,000 pregnant women received free acupuncture treatment through the National Health Service (NHS) in Plymouth, and the service was recognised in 2001 with the Prince of Wales’ Foundation for Integrated Health Award as a joint winner.

Sarah worked as a research assistant in the regulation of complementary medicine and at the Acupuncture Research Resource Centre. She has now retired from active midwifery practice. She has contributed to manuals and academic journals and continues to teach in acupuncture colleges and universities through online mentorship. She recently completed an MSc in Advanced Oriental Medicine. Her MSc dissertation was entitled: “Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum with Acupuncture: A Modified Delphi Consensus Study”.

Sarah wrote and taught the first Traditional Chinese Medicine curriculum specifically designed for midwives in the United Kingdom.

In a change of direction, she now uses acupuncture on a voluntary basis, working with refugees and asylum seekers in Greece and the United Kingdom.

Ricardo Valério is a specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture based in Lisbon, Portugal, with more than 10 years of clinical experience. He is particularly recognised for his extensive training in China, where he completed postgraduate studies at Master’s level in Acupuncture and Tuina at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

He has studied at Beijing Language and Culture University, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. He has experience in interpreting and clinical translation in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has collaborated with the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies.

His clinical approach focuses mainly on classical Chinese medicine, combining ancient theory with modern clinical effectiveness. Although his professional base is in Lisbon, he has previously provided services in Almada, south of Lisbon, and has collaborated with various clinics across the wider region.

His main services include acupuncture, tuina, Chinese therapeutic massage, and consultation in Chinese herbal medicine.